Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-27

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

Five months ago, you started renting an apartment on a six-month agreement. You now wish to stay in the apartment for longer than the six months you originally agreed with the owner.

Write a letter to the owner of your apartment. In your letter

• say how long you now want to rent the apartment for
• explain why your plans have changed
• tell the owner about a problem in the apartment

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear ....................................,

Student answer (Band 6.5)

Dear Mr. John,

I am writing this letter to inform you that I want to extend my lease for another six months.

During renting this apartment, I made an agreement to stay for six months only. However, I am requesting you to please allow me to stay for another 6 months because I feel convenient living at this place.

The apartment is at good location, thereby I can easily catch my bus to work and college. Moreover, there are shops nearby, going for grocery is also accessible. Therefore, it would be appreciated if you could extend my lease.

Also, I want to share a problem I am facing in the apartment. The hot tank is not working properly. I have noticed this from last 2 days that only cold water is running from the taps, due to which I cannot do my basic duties at home.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Hardeep kaur

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The letter successfully addresses all three bullet points: the duration of the extension, the reason for the change, and the maintenance issue. The tone is appropriate for a formal letter to a landlord. The ideas are relevant and clearly presented, though the development of the 'reason for change' could be slightly more detailed to fully meet the criteria for a higher band. However, the purpose of the letter is clear from the outset, and the reader is left with no ambiguity regarding the request or the problem described.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The letter is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a closing. Each paragraph focuses on a specific point, which aids readability. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Moreover', and 'Therefore' are used to link ideas, although some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The progression of information is smooth, and the paragraphing is appropriate for a formal letter. The use of referencing is generally clear, ensuring the reader can follow the writer's intentions without difficulty.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is sufficient for the task, allowing the writer to communicate their needs effectively. There are some instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'During renting this apartment' and 'I feel convenient living at this place'. While these do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise collocation. The use of 'basic duties' to describe household chores is also slightly imprecise. Expanding the range of vocabulary to include more natural collocations would help in achieving a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The letter demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'The apartment is at good location' (missing article) and 'I have noticed this from last 2 days' (incorrect preposition/tense usage). Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear throughout. The punctuation is generally accurate, and the sentence structure is varied enough to maintain interest. To improve, the writer should focus on article usage and prepositional accuracy, as well as ensuring consistent verb tense usage when describing past and present states.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.